February 2015

President’s Message

PONDEROSA PROPERTY OWNER’S ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER

OPEN LETTER TO PPOA MEMBERS

I want to let all of you, who have sent in your membership dues for 2014-15, know that I have not been to Ponderosa this winter. There-fore, I have not picked up the mail. I know many of you will be concerned that your checks have not cleared your bank. The mailbox is a locked box and I am the only one with a key, so the mail is safe. I apologize for the inconvenience to you, and I thank you for your patience. -Gail Lack, PPOA Treasurer

Greetings & Happy New Year:

We had another great Thanksgiving Holiday party at Brewer’s Ponderosa Lodge. It was not a large

turnout, but a fun time with plenty of food and visiting with new and longtime homeowners. Thanks again to

Mary Brewer for allowing PPOA to have this activity at the lodge.

The next PPOA event will be our annual Snow Day, also held at the lodge, on Sunday, February 15. The

Snow Day involves enjoying the day with snowshoes, skis, and visiting with all. We also have our outside

grill for cooking lunch. There is more information in the newsletter. We will look forward to nature providing

more snow by then.

As always, I encourage anyone who is not a member of the PPOA, to consider becoming a member. There

are many projects that your community PPOA board provides to you to keep our community up- to-date,

safe, and a wonderful place to visit.

There is a membership form available on line at the community web site: www.ponderosaca/pondo, and in

the newsletter. You can also find the PPOA meeting minutes and newsletters located at this site.

We hope that 2015 will be a healthy, happy year for all of us with good adventures!

Regards,

Kit Korf

PPOA President

To place an ad: email ppoanewsletter@gmail.com

Personal ads are free for PPOA members space

permitting.

$5– Business card

$10– 1/4 page $15– 1/2 page

$25– Full page $40– Both sides of page

Contact PPOA Treasurer Gail Lack at

glack@bak.rr.com for payment

Circulation 250

The next newsletter will be out in May

Please have submissions in by May 1st.

Page 2

General Safety Guidelines for Propane

Modifications or alterations to your propane system should be handled by authorized personnel only.

Tampering with the system may cause a potentially dangerous situation.

The easiest way to detect propane is by it's very unpleasant odor. If the scent of propane is in the air, a

potentially dangerous situation may exist.

Extinguish all open flames, and immediately leave any area where propane fumes are present.

Avoid touching electrical switches or appliances when a leak is suspected.

In case of a leak, go to your propane system's storage vessel, open the tank hood, and close the vapor

service valve. Then, contact a qualified technician for assistance.

Electronic leak detectors are available. Contact your nearest propane retailer for the purchase of a de-

tector.

Propane is heavier than air. The vapor will descend to the lowest point, for example, your basement.

Avoid these areas when a leak is suspected.

Never tamper with your system's supply lines.

Never tamper with and safety devices, regulators, or storage tank fittings.

Never use an open flame, to test for propane leaks.

Please have your propane system checked if you have any of the following systems of carbon monoxide

poisoning: headaches, dizziness, loss of muscular control, vomiting, and watering of the eyes.

Prevention of carbon monoxide poisoning is listed in the following steps: Never use range burners as

space heaters. Never use propane heaters that are not intended for indoor use. Never use a barbecue

grill indoors. Have all propane appliances tested regularly by a qualified technician. Always make sure

there is plenty of ventilation.

Carbon monoxide detectors are available at most hardware stores.

Follow Your Nose!

By Kaputnick

On our last trip to Pondo over the new year holiday when returning from a walk, there was a strong smell of propane! I checked inside of

the cabin but no alarms were sounding and we had no smell. I started to look around outside, checked my tank, and asked the neighbors

uphill from our place. All was secure so I started up the road and found the Patrol which I found out later, alerted Nelson fire etc. Long

story short the area was checked and it was discovered that a low level propane tank was venting from a cabin. The propane was shut off

and the cabin was secured. Thank you to the Capplen’s, Jim Parmenter, and the Nelson fire department for their quick response!

Just a thought, not long after we purchased our cabin we had the propane supplier do a pressure test. There had

been some changes and we just wanted to make sure of the systems integrity.

So with all of that said I thought would provide some propane safety tips from the Florida Propane Gas Educa-

tion, Safety and Research Council. Their web site is listed below.

http://propanefl.com/safety_tips.htm

Page 3

Propane Safety Guidelines For The Home

Propane leaks smell like rotten eggs. Educate your family so they may recognized the smell.

If you smell a leak, evacuate the premises, and contact your local fire department, or propane supplier.

When leaving the premises, do not alter any electrical outlets or light switches.

Propane leak detectors are available at your local hardware stores.

Know the layout of your gas services lines, especially if you are doing any type of landscaping or reno-

vations.

If you suspect your gas appliance has been damaged by water or flooding, have a trained technician

come out and service your system.

All furnaces should be cleaned regularly. Check with your propane retailer, and owners manual for

cleaning instructions.

In case of sediment buildup in your propane fueled water heater, drain your tank until water runs

clean.

Have your range serviced if the flames are not blue. Yellow flames indicate blockage to the air inlets, or

an adjustment may be need to the burner. Contact a technician to service. Also, do not line your range

with tin foil; it constricts air circulation.

Never use a gas range or grill to heat your home.

Safety Benefits of Propane

Propane tanks are 20 times more puncture resistant that tanks filled with ethanol, methanol or gaso-

line. They are constructed from carbon steel, under the procedures developed by the American Society

of Mechanical Engineers.

Propane cylinders are equipped with a device that cuts off the filling process, when the tank reached

80 percent of its liquid capacity. This helps pressure inside the tank, caused by temperature to variate,

without a gas emitting from the tank.

Propane has the lowest flammability rating of any alternative fuel.

Propane leaks are easy to detect due to the strong pungent smell that imitates the scent of rotten

eggs.

Propane will not contaminate water or soil.

Unlike other fuels, like gasoline, propane can not be ingested, due to the fact that it is vaporized inter-

nally when released form it's container. Leaks do not form a puddle; propane dissipates into the air.

In contrast with gasoline's ignition temperature of 430 to 500 degrees F, propane will not ignite until

the air reaches at least 940 degrees F.

Page 4

Brewer’s

Ponderosa Lodge 559-542-2579

Winter Hours:

* Weekends: 9 am—6 pm

* Monday—Friday 10 am—6 pm

* Closed Tuesday & Wednesday (With closure of Western Divide)

* Thursdays 4-6 pm: Happy Hour 1/2 price appetizers & drink specials.

* Dependent upon weather conditions,

hours may be extended. Please call &

confirm at 559-542-2579

Valentines Day Dinner: Steak and Bake

Saturday night 5-8 pm Feb. 14th

*** RESERVATIONS PLEASE ***

PPOA Snow Day, Sunday Feb. 15th

Belgian Waffles 8:30-10 am. BBQ at noon

CALENDAR

**** FEBRUARY ****

* PPOA Annual Snow Day Event: Sunday February 15th

* PPOA meeting: Sunday February 15th , 3 PM, PCSD building

* Brigade training: Third Sunday of each month 9:30am

PCSD building. Training may be cancelled during winter months. Please confirm.

WELCOME! NEW PONDEROSA OWNERS

Charles & Sherraine Sheldon

From Lindsay, CA.

Page 5

PPOAAnnual Snow Day Event

Sunday February 15. 2015

PROGRAM

8.30-10.00am: Breakfast with Belgian Waffles at the lodge ($4.00 per waffle)

10:00am-12:30pm: Pending on the conditions: Snow shoe and cross-country skiing. Departure from the lodge. Snowmobile rides or hike on Freeman Creek trail.

1:00pm: BBQ at lodge (Hamburgers and Hot Dogs; courtesy of the PPOA). $ 5.00 for non-PPOA members.

Confirm your attendance declerck.yves5@gmail.com or ddeclerck@me.com

Page 6

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Ponderosa, CA 93265 (559) 542-8000 Office (559) 542-2027 FAX

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“With over 50 homes and countless remodeling projects under my belt, I feel I can provide you with the most knowledgeable design and construction methods for your mountain home project.”

Ponderosa Alpine Village Camp Nelson Cedar Slope

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Page 7

Name ___________________________________________________________________________________

New Home Address ________________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________________________State _______________Zip ___________

New Phone __________________________Email_______________________________________________

Ponderosa Address ________________________________________________________________________

Below is a change of address form. It is important to let me know if you have moved or have a

new PO Box number. Each time I receive an address correction from the US Postal Service it

costs PPOA extra money. Please notify me by email at jahansen@bak.rr.com, call (661) 836-

2060, or mail this form to Julie Hansen at 8803 Brannock Ct. Bakersfield, Ca. 93313.

Detach here and mail to the address above

Change of Address

Cabin

OR

Lot $ _______________

Volunteer Fire

Brigade Fund $ _________

Total $ ______________

PPOA Membership Dues 2013-2014

Name ______________________________________________________

Home Address _______________________________________________

City ________________________________________________________

State ________________________________ Zip ___________________

Home Phone ________________________________________________

Cabin/Lot Address ____________________________________________

Cabin Phone _________________________________________________

Email _______________________________________________________

Below is a form to join the Ponderosa Property Owners Association if you haven’t already done so for the 2013 –2014

year. The cost for a developed lot is $30 a year OR $15 for an undeveloped lot. Fill out the form below and mail it along

with your check to PPOA 56693 Aspen Drive, Ponderosa, CA 93265. If you wish to make a donation

to the Volunteer Fire Brigade fund, please mark the form below with the amount desired along with your PPOA member-

ship dues.

Detach here and return to PPOA at the above address

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